Dr Boutros Boutros Ghali, Secretary General of the United Nations, belonged to which country?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Egypt

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Dr Boutros Boutros Ghali was one of the most prominent Secretaries General of the United Nations in the post Cold War period. Questions about the nationality of key UN leaders are frequent in general knowledge and civil services examinations because they combine information about international organisations and world geography. This question checks whether you know which country this Secretary General came from.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The question names Dr Boutros Boutros Ghali and identifies him as Secretary General of the UN.
  • Five possible countries are listed as his nationality: Iran, Korea, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
  • We assume standard historical knowledge around UN Secretaries General and their home countries.
  • Only one of these options correctly identifies his country of origin.


Concept / Approach:
The approach is simple factual recall, but you can also use regional clues. Boutros Boutros Ghali is a distinctively Arabic name, which immediately points towards the Arab world. Among the options, Iran is Persian, Korea is East Asian, and Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are Arab countries. Knowing which Arab country he represented is essential. Reference works on the UN and news from the early 1990s often mention him as an Egyptian diplomat and jurist, so Egypt is the correct choice.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that Boutros Boutros Ghali served as the sixth Secretary General of the United Nations from 1992 to 1996. Step 2: Recall that he previously served as Egypt's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and was a senior Egyptian diplomat. Step 3: Among the options, his career and name align clearly with Egypt, not with Iran, Korea, Saudi Arabia or Jordan. Step 4: Therefore, the correct answer must be Egypt.


Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, you can remember that Boutros Boutros Ghali played an important role in negotiations involving the Middle East and Africa and often represented Egypt in international forums before becoming Secretary General. Reference books on UN history and even simple timelines of Secretaries General list his nationality as Egyptian. No credible source associates him with Iran, Korea, Saudi Arabia or Jordan as his country of citizenship.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, Iran, is wrong because although Iran is an important regional power, Boutros Boutros Ghali was not an Iranian statesman and his name is not Persian.

Option B, Korea, is wrong because Korea belongs to East Asia and Korean names follow a very different pattern from his Arabic name.

Option D, Saudi Arabia, is wrong since he held senior posts in the Egyptian government rather than in Saudi institutions.

Option E, Jordan, is also wrong. Jordan is an Arab country, but there is no record of him serving as a Jordanian diplomat or politician.


Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to vaguely remember that Boutros Boutros Ghali was from the Middle East or the Arab world and then guess any Arab country from the list. Another error is confusing him with other UN officials or with later Secretaries General such as Kofi Annan from Ghana or Ban Ki Moon from South Korea. To avoid confusion, connect each Secretary General clearly with a mental tag: Boutros Boutros Ghali with Egypt, Kofi Annan with Ghana and Ban Ki Moon with South Korea.


Final Answer:
Dr Boutros Boutros Ghali, Secretary General of the United Nations, belonged to Egypt.

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